Ritu Singh Pande

Ritu Pande hails from Bihar, India, where her rebellious nature put the sexist cultural norms of her environment into stark focus. Her unconventional experiences as a social activist, military cadet, as well as a finalist in Miss India contest, enabled her to explore various facets of feminism, female and human identity. She left her burgeoning acting career in Mumbai to pursue acting and filmmaking in New York, studying under veterans such as Austin Pendelton, Anthony Abeson, and Terry Schreiber. Ironically, rather than finding freedom in New York to explore her passions, Ritu found herself more pigeonholed as a minority woman. Energized by this challenge, and struck by the extent of dilution that plagues foreign perspectives, Ritu founded Durga Entertainment in 2009 through which she has produced films that transcend the industry stereotypes in favor of more complex and universal stories, especially about women. As an actor, producer and writer, it is her personal sense of identity, shrouded in the paradox of race and gender identity crisis that the Western cultures pose particularly upon women of color is what inspires Ritu's creative drive: to reveal the truth behind the complex humanity and to upend cultural norms with which many are ensconced in. In 2010, she led the production of her most personal film Festival of Lights, a profound human story about lost love, lost parents and lost home because of forced migrations. The film was a spiritual and personal breakthrough in Ritu's life. Since then, she has produced festival hits such as May in the Summer, Car Dogs and A Woman A Part that are a celebration of human complexity. Turned Out is a continuation of that celebration. Ritu's experiences as a filmmaker, actor, humanitarian, Indian woman, and immigrant, have all culminated into a thrilling and thought provoking story of sexuality, identity, and where our actions lead us in life. The film goes beyond the boundaries of a psychological thriller and creates something soulful, something the audience will take on their paths long after the film is over.